A Hunt for a Thief
by Harvest Loon
Summary: Jill X Skye oneshot. The phantom thief has pushed it too far this time and the towns folk are going to form a mob to stop him. What must Jill do to save her secret lover?


A Hunt for a Thief

**Hey guys. So I recently got the harvest moon ds cute game and I now realise why Skye X Jill is such a popular pairing for fan fictions. I now love the pairing so much that I decided to write them a little oneshot. Please read and review. Thanks and enjoy.**

As the sun began to rise over Forget-me-not Valley a young, brown haired farm girl began to stir from her sleep.

A beam of light shone through a crack in the curtains of her small farm house dancing over her cheeks and eyelids.

She grumbled to herself irritably as her small terrier dog began to tug on her duvet, growling and yapping as he knew there were animals waiting to be fed and crops waiting to be watered.

Eventually she gave in throwing back her covers and rolling off her mattress.

'Alright alright!' She said sternly, shooing the puppy away as she made her way across the wooden floor towards the kitchen.

A she fumbled around in her cupboards for something sensible to eat at 7am, the sparkly bangle which hung around her left wrist, caught her eye. She paused smiling to herself as she admired the gift which had been recently given to her by Phantom Skye. She was a little nervous about wearing it around town as she knew Skye well enough to know that he had probably stolen it from one of the other girls.

She sighed and continued to pour herself a bowl of cereal, wolfing it down quickly and disappearing off into the bathroom to get changed.

She fought furiously with her bed hair eventually pulling it into two pigtails and splashing her face with icy cold water from the tap.

When she was finally ready she flew outside into the fresh morning air, filling her lungs with the sweet aroma of spring.

She then began her morning routine on the farm.

'Good morning Tiffany.' She said as she swung open the stable door and let her beautiful bay horse out into the field where she could graze on fresh green grass and gallop freely.

She then moved onto the barn grabbing a small stool and a bucket which sat by the door and approaching her cow quietly so as not to frighten her.

'Here Buttercup.' She whispered placing a hand on her back and stroking her gently.

Just as the brunette was about to start milking the barn doors flung open once again.

'Jill!' A desperate voice called followed by a lot of panting and wheezing.

The farmer dropped her bucket and stood up suddenly glancing towards the door where Celia stood looking incredibly flustered.

'Celia?...What is it? What's wrong?' Said running over to her frantically.

'Th-Th-Th-The Phantom…he-he-he-he left a note!' She said reaching into her pocket a pulling out a small crumpled piece of paper, handing it to Jill.

_Dear nincompoops like Vesta and such,_

_I shall be paying you a visit around midnight, so keep an eye on your crops…or don't that'd be easier._

_From your favourite thief,_

_Phantom Skye._

Jill sighed her expression turning weary and disappointed. He had promised her he would stop stealing after she thought she had convinced him into thinking that it was stupid and was ruining his chances of ever making friends.

Celia had finally caught her breath and was watching Jill's facial expressions carefully.

After running her finger over his signature Jill handed the note back to the less panicky farm girl and nodded.

'All the guys want to organise a mob of sorts. They want to catch him…tonight, and have him locked up, or worse!'

Jill's eyes widened her mouth hanging agape as she tried to think of something to say, but what could she say. Skye was a thief, a criminal and was disrupting the lives of the town's folk. As much as she hated to say it, she knew it was what was right.

Jill gulped and smiled weakly.

'W-well he…deserves it!' She replied.

Celia nodded positively.

'The sooner that rat of a man is gone the better!'

Jill stifled a laugh.

'Y-yea…gone.' She stuttered

Celia stuffed the note back into her apron pocket.

'Well we're all meeting outside Vesta's at 11.30 tonight. You should come. We're gonna need all the help we can get. That phantom is a shifty one, he knows every trick in the book!'

Jill nodded.

'I'll see you then.'

Celia nodded and headed back out of the barn. Once she was gone Jill trailed her body back to her stool and flopped down letting her head fall into her hands.

_They can't lock Skye up! They just can't! He would hate being in a dirty cell with all those other people! _She thought to herself.

She finished the milking, and watered the crops half-heartedly. She couldn't concentrate properly, she needed to tell Skye about the villager's plans, but Skye never came on in daylight, too many people to have to socialise with he says.

It was mid-day by the time she'd finished all her chores. The animals where grazing happily in the fields, the sun beating down on their backs. Jill watched as the wind blew through the long grass and whistled past the long stalks of the vegetable plants. Usually these things would fill her heart with joy but on that day her heart was in other places.

'Hey Jill.' A gruff voice said from behind her as she sat by the edge of her field. She glanced over her shoulder and smiled at her dad's best friend whom she shared her farm with.

'Oh…hey Takakura. What's up?'

He strolled over and stood beside her, his hands buried deep in his pockets.

'Did ya hear 'bout the whole, thief hunt business?' He grumbled.

Jill nodded taking a deep breath.

'Yup. Are you…getting involved?'

Takakura nodded once and cleared his throat.

'Sure am. That boy is nothing but a trouble maker. There's no good in him. What that fella needs is to meet a woman. Someone that'll knock some sense into him!'

Jill groaned resting her chin in her palm.

'No amount of sense knocking can change him. He's a lone wolf, a man set in his ways.' She said, her voice muffled by her fingers.

Takakura sighed.

'Sounds like you know what you're talking about. You…know the thief?'

Jill hesitated before shaking her head and denying it.

'N-No, I'm just…guessing.'

Takakura threw her a tetchy look and began to wander off. Usually that would be a very rude and ignorant mannerism, but that was just Takakura and Jill understood that.

As the day went on, the brunette refused to leave her farm. She didn't want to see what ever sort of preparations they were making. The thought made her headache and caused a lump to form in her throat.

That evening Jill sat on her fence watching the sky turn a brilliant orange colour as the sun began to set. Se nibbled on her lip nervously as the time grew nearer and nearer to 11.30.

As she waited for the moon to appear she found herself sitting cross legged on the ground busily making daisy chains. She found it kept her mind off the whole situation rather well…until Rock appeared.

'J-Jill?' He said causing the farmer to jump slightly. She turned suddenly exhaling with relief as she realised it was only the local beach boy.

'Hey.' She replied dropping her chain and forcing herself off the ground.

'I…I know you know the thief.' He said awkwardly rocking back and forth on his heels.

Jill cleared her throat and scratched the back of her head.

'W-well I-'

'Don't try to lie Jill. We need your help. You're the only one who knows his hangouts. You can give us the information we need the trap him.' She noticed how Rock's voice began to get higher and higher with excitement as he explained the plans.

Beads of sweat began to form on her brow but she brushed them away quickly with the back of her hand. Although it didn't seem like it, this was her chance to save Skye.

'So whatdya say?'

Jill swallowed hard and nodded.

'S-sure. Anything to help.'

Rock grinned practically jumping up and down on the spot.

'This is gonna be so cool!' He exclaimed before running off.

At 11pm, Jill grabbed her jacket off it's hanger by her front door and headed off for Vesta's farm her stomach in her mouth.

She took her time, scuffing her feet along the dusty pavement, her arms folded tightly across her chest.

As she neared the large farm she swore she could see the light of flaming torches.

_Jeeze he is only human after all, not a beast! _She thought angrily as she approached the murmuring mob.

'Hey look, it's Jill!' Somebody called out. All heads turned and stared at her, grins spreading.

'The thief isn't here yet.' Vesta said her face looking rather pale and withdrawn with worry.

Jill nodded.

'Well he certainly isn't going to show up with all of you standing there like that.' She said.

There was a silence.

'You're right!' Marlin said 'We should all split up and hide! That way he won't know where we are and we can be ready to pounce when he walks past!'

Everybody else began agreeing, the girls making excitable squealing noises.

Jill slapped her hand to her forehead.

'_Stop giving them ideas Jill!_' A voice whispered from somewhere close to her. Luckily nobody else heard.

She began to glance around frantically catching a glimpse of silvery hair from behind Vesta's shop.

'_S_k-'

'_Sssshhhh_' He hushed raising a finger to his lips. Jill nodded winking at him and looking back to the mob joining in with their organising.

'Okay, we'll all go in pairs!' Griffin spoke up. 'Muffy and me, Marlin and Celia, Rock and Lumina, Gustafa and Nami, Takakura and Vesta and…oh Jill, you can make a three if you want?'

Jill shook her head.

'N-no, that's okay. I'd rather be on my own anyway.'

'_Such a clever girl._' Skye's voice whispered once again causing a smile to leak over her face.

Griffin nodded.

'Alright…if you say so.'

'Let's catch this thief!' Rock yelled.

'Yea!' Everybody else responded getting into their pairs and dashing off in different directions.

Once they were all gone Jill clambered over the small fence and ran behind the shop to look for him, but he was gone. No traces except for the faint waft of curry which blew with the wind.

Jill sighed. She wondered if she'd ever get to see him again after that night, but she knew Skye wouldn't give up easily.

_Why does he always have to leave a damn note? _She thought as she huffed and crossed her arms once again.

She hurried back out onto the path and stood for several minutes letting the darkness of the night consume her. She didn't want to be part of the hunt but she didn't want to see Skye get hurt.

Not caring much about how many of Vesta's crops he stole, she began to wander back towards town. It was dead, nobody to be seen or heard.

_Wow! They're pretty good hiders._ She thought peering around with hope of finding somebody so she wasn't so alone.

After about an hour had passed, just as she was about to roll her eyes and laugh at them for ever thinking they had a chance of catching her Phantom, she heard what she least expected to hear.

'I FOUND HIM! THERE HE HIS! AFTER HIM!' A voice called from beside the Inn. Jill's breath caught in her throat and she froze to her spot not knowing quite what to do. How could he have been so careless?

Most of the couples appeared out of here, there and everywhere stampeding towards where Marlin was pointing. Sure enough, out of the corner of her eye she caught sight of the nimble character darting off towards the goddess pond.

Jill bit her lip, her hands clenching into fists. Once he reached the pond, he'd be stuck in a dead end. They'd catch him for sure!

'Go on Skye!' She whispered too afraid to follow the others.

The farm girl waited anxiously by herself in the middle of town. Her breathing was uneven and her head spun as if she'd just got off a rollercoaster.

A cool breeze whistled through town and Jill's nostrils were filled with a strong smell of curry powder. Her eyes widened and she turned suddenly to see the man she secretly loved standing behind her looking rather flustered and shaken.

They both froze staring at each other, Jill's mouth opening and closing trying to find words where as Skye's just hung agape.

'Oh, please Jill, princess of my dreams, angel of my heart,' He began frantically moving closer towards her 'I beg of you my darling…I swear upon every star in the sky that if you let me go, just this once I'll-'

Jill placed a finger over his lips silencing him from his pathetic rant.

'Ssssssh.'

She smiled at him sweetly.

'They'll hear you!'

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly as he looked her lovingly in the eyes raising his hand and stroking her cheek gently.

Jill lowered her finger, her heart racing at two to the dozen.

Skye began to lean in, his warm breath soothing her thoughts and numbing her mind.

'I love you, Jill.' He whispered as he gently pressed his lips to hers.

'I think he came this way!'

'How ever did he climb that hedge so fast?' Voices blared from the entrance to Jill's farm.

Skye pulled away quickly, his hand lingering on her cheek for several more moments.

'I love you too.' Jill whispered back sweeping a few strands of silvery hair out of his eyes. 'But you must hurry. Get home now whilst you've got a clear path!'

Skye smiled and nodded.

'Thank you my angel, and I may I say that you look radiant this fine night.'

Jill blushed a few giggles escaping her.

'I can smell him!' Vesta's loud voice boomed.

Skye winked and bowed slightly before dashing off into the night.

Jill sighed wondering when she'd ever see him again. A pink hue still hovered on her cheeks as she played his confession over and over again in her head.

'Jill! Jill did you see him?' Griffin shouted breaking her train of thought. She glanced up at him suddenly and shook her head.

'You can't catch a phantom thief.' She said smiling as she pushed past them heading back towards her farm.

**Ta-da! So what do you think? Pretty cute huh! Please please please review, it means sooo much to me! If I get quite a few I may even consider writing a long story for this pairing in the future. Thanks for reading guys.**


End file.
